The country’s biggest secondary teachers’ union is to ballot members over a directive which would require members to only attend meetings relating toThe development has the potential the open up a new front in industrial relations tensions between the Association of Secondary Teachers Ireland , school managers and the Department of Education.
A 2015 agreement between the departtment and teachers’ unions states that “a limited number of meetings may need to draw on teachers’ bundled time to run beyond normal school tuition hours for some of the duration of the meeting.”However, the ASTI says many schools are now routinely scheduling these meetings outside teaching hours and teachers are being put undre pressure to attend them by school managers.
A spokeswoman said the ballot is in line with the ASTI’s position that Slar meetings should be held in accordance with agreed arrangements.